ASRock 970 Extreme4 FX-8350 Unstable with Stock Settings

[Yutani]

Re: ASRock 970 Extreme4 FX-8350 Unstable with Stock Settings

Unfortunately I had no time to even start my computer in the last 2 weeks, but on this weekend I hope I can share something useful here.

Regarding the memory voltage: when I had an AM2 system I had to increased the memory voltage from 1.8V to 1.95V to avoid system crashes. The mobo was an Abit KN9 Ultra with several processors and Geil Value DDR2-800 memory. Later on my previous MSI K9A2 Platinum board I had to increase the memory voltage as well with the same memory.

[owned139]

Re: ASRock 970 Extreme4 FX-8350 Unstable with Stock Settings

My vendor replaced CPU and Mainboard and for now it seems to be stable.
System works for about 8 hours, 3 of them testing with Prime95 without any errors.
RAM is working at 1.5V 9-9-24, anything else is default :)

[Yutani]

Re: ASRock 970 Extreme4 FX-8350 Unstable with Stock Settings

Last weekend I tested my machine. I was able to play Starcraft II with enabled onboard audio and watch movie via HDMI, but the config had trouble at every cold-boot.What I did: I increased RAM voltage to 1,75V and disabled 2 modules or enabled only 1 core/module. Somehow with every setting my PC could freeze at cold-boot but after restarting the machine worked well until I turned it off. That means machine worked well in the evening, then I turned it on next morning and it freezed at first boot. I intend to go for an MSI 990FXA-GD65 motherboard with 8+2 power phases, because the things above prove me that 4+1 phase of ASRock 970 Extreme 3 is just too weak for an 8-core (4-module) AMD FX CPU. Maybe it is okay for a 4-core (2-module) FX or a Phenom and below. For 6-core FX? I don't know but if the Extreme 3-4 can not work stable with that CPU I would choose a more powerful board.

[Yutani]

[Yutani]

Re: ASRock 970 Extreme4 FX-8350 Unstable with Stock Settings

Something new: it seems ASRock Extreme 3 R1.0 and Extreme 4 mainboards lost their FX-8320/8350 support (check their CPU support lists).

ASRock Extreme 3 R2.0 still supports FX-8350.

[Yutani]

Re: ASRock 970 Extreme4 FX-8350 Unstable with Stock Settings

I had been able to run my FX-8350 with default settings in the ASRock 970 Extreme r1.0 mobo for weeks without any problem after I switched to an other PSU. I had no problems, no hang-ups, every software ran fine.

In the meantime I discovered that my Sapphire HD 7870 GE has the Black Screen issue, so I RMA'd it. All in all I had to deal with two problems and they were not motherboard related issues at all (PSU issue and VGA issue), but first I blamed the mobo because it was my first thought. And I was wrong.

So thank you ASRock, at the end it cleared out that the 970 Extreme 3 r1.0 is a cheap, but good motherboard.

[radw]

Re: ASRock 970 Extreme4 FX-8350 Unstable with Stock Settings

@Yutani : I'm glad you've managed to deal with your problems. My Asrock 970 PRO3 R1.0 was sent to service and they said it was faulty so they gave me Asrock 970 Extreme 3 R2.0 which they've tested and had problems. Ok, next they gave a full refund and I've bought Asrock 970 Extreme 3 from another place... Damn it, so many things to do for a motherboard... This two from Asrock, 970 Extreme 3 and PRO3 weren't so reliable that's why R2.0 appeared that quick.

[Yutani]

Re: ASRock 970 Extreme4 FX-8350 Unstable with Stock Settings

Ehh, so you had quality problems with the mobos...

I stopped using the ASRock mobo, I'm gonna sell it because I got my Asus M5A99FX Pro 2.0 back from RMA and I've been already using it in my rig for a week.

[lauralaw]

Re: ASRock 970 Extreme4 FX-8350 Unstable with Stock Settings

I am sure this is been mentioned before. But I just spent the last few months fighting this board. It was routinely unstablewhen under full load. Even tried changing the cooler. Basically ran at 3.8ghz assuming cooler issues and got fed up. Chip would clock up with turbo but routinely throttle down. Put water cooling on it in a mid tower when I noticed it was up to 70c plus. Once the water cooler was on it started throttling quicker and more often. After some testing with laser thermometer I noticed the vrm hitting 180 plus and the radiator was directly over them. I took two heat sink fans mounted brackets from the back of the case you remove to install cards and hung a fan diagonal to the vrm and radiator. Put another above them. The board ran a 4.7GHZ VERY STABLE 1 hour 100% load.

600 w power supply
Radeon 6950
H80 cooler
2x capture cards
6x 120 fans
2x 80 fans

Sorry if hard to follow hate mobile typing lol. Also with hw monitor I was getting false temp reading by over 10c compared to a stock tuner. Basically the vrm is not capable of supporting the 8350 under heavy loads even stock. I personally believe the 970 manufacturers that list 8350 full support that throttle down to the 1.5ghz under load should have to replace the boards or offer to ship a cooling fix. Forced down clocking on stock speeds is not full support. It should claim capable but not recommended. A stock isn't the only one with this issue the Asrock replaced a lower end msi board the stated fully support also.

[Sean Mcm]

Re: ASRock 970 Extreme4 FX-8350 Unstable with Stock Settings

Wow.... ok after reading up to about page 6-7 I think I may have also solved my unstable 8150 970 extreme4 stock bios settings build... I will try updating my bios like the others did and hopefully bring some stability to my build.

Will continue reading this forum when I get home.. its a bit tedious on my phone.

Edit: updating to the "beta" bios worked. I now have a stable stock processor. Thanks :)